President-elect Donald Trump’s first key appointment since his victory this week came with a historic choice. He appointed Susie Wiles to be his White House chief of staff, making her the first woman appointed to the position.
Wiles, Trump’s campaign manager for his 2024 run, has been widely credited for his victory. The New York Times described her as “perhaps the most significant voice inside Mr. Trump’s third presidential campaign.”
[time-brightcove not-tgx=”true”]Democratic Florida Rep. Jared Moskowitz has highlighted the effectiveness of Wiles’ strategy, both in Trump’s case and in previous campaigns throughout Florida. “If you don’t know her, you soon will, but Susie will go down as one of the greatest campaign strategists,” he said via social media. “To the Democrats’ detriment she has been a part of all the winning campaigns in Florida.”
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Trump also thanked Wiles during his early victory speech on Tuesday night. “Let me also express my tremendous appreciation for Susie and Chris—the job you did. Come, Susie,” Trump said, calling over Wiles and referencing her co-campaign manager, Chris LaCivita. “Susie likes to stay in the back, let me tell you. We call her the ice maiden.”
Here is what you need to know about Wiles, who has cemented herself as one of Trump’s most trusted advisors and will hold the President-elect’s ear as he returns to the White House.
Wiles has a long history working for Republican politicians and their campaigns
The 67-year-old has a decades-long history as a Republican strategist and campaign staffer.
She worked under the late former New York Rep. Jack Kemp back in the 1970s before working on Ronald Reagan’s 1980 presidential campaign. She went on to work for Jacksonville Mayors John Delaney and John Peyton.
Wiles became a well-respected and well-versed strategist in campaigns in Florida, running Sen. Rick Scott’s successful campaign for Governor of the state in 2010.
She also had a brief stint running the 2012 presidential campaign of former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman, who later sharply criticized Trump after the events of Jan. 6, 2021.
After Trump’s victory in 2016, Wiles chose to stay in Florida and managed Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ successful campaign for Governor. Yet, she has also been credited for why Trump eventually became the GOP’s 2024 primary candidate, not DeSantis. The day DeSantis ended his presidential bid, Wiles posted “Bye, bye” on X (formerly Twitter).
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Wiles helped Trump win Florida in 2016 and has only grown in importance since then
Wiles joined Trump’s 2016 campaign in Florida, specifically running operations that ultimately helped him win the state, landing a key victory in his win over Hillary Clinton.
Though Wiles rarely speaks publicly—Trump said in his victory speech on Tuesday evening that she “likes to stay in the background”—she spoke to the Tampa Bay Times during the 2016 election cycle, explaining that she chose to work for Trump because he represented the changes in Washington she believed were necessary. She felt other candidates represented a Republican status quo she didn’t want to continue with.
“I said, ‘I don’t want this to continue.’ I think it seriously will damage our republic and who among that group can really have the fortitude to shift what I’ve seen happening over all these years?” Wiles is quoted as saying.
In 2019, it was reported that DeSantis attempted to have Trump cut ties with Wiles—and succeeded.
But Wiles returned to Trump’s inner circle, running much of his operations in the Sunshine State, growing to her role as senior campaign manager during the 2024 campaign. Her importance has reportedly made her a target to foreign agents.
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Wiles’ life away from campaigning
Born in New Jersey, Wiles came from a family of prominence, long before her political work began. Wiles’ father is the late legendary NFL player-turned-broadcaster Pat Summerall.
Wiles married fellow Reagan staffer and Republican consultant Lanny Wiles, and the two relocated to a suburb of Jacksonville, Ponte Vedra Beach. The couple share two daughters and divorced in 2017, according to Politico.
